Both SIGNA and David Chipperfield took part in an international competition and were selected to develop the new office and commercial building in the Hafencity district of Hamburg. The project is set to get underway in 2021 with a planned completion date of mid-2025, and will become Hamburg’s largest building ever.

“Hamburg, with its long history and high appeal, is getting a new urban landmark with the Elbtower,” Timo Herzberg, SIGNA’s CEO, said in a prepared release. “The aim of the project is to create a place that appeals to and unites all of society, through the creation of spatial and functional structures that allow for a variety of forms of work and uses.” The parameters to be awarded the contract included architectural quality, reliability, financial solidity and proven experience with similar complex projects.

“As architects, we are increasingly aware that the city depends on the quality of private construction projects to create a strong social dimension that addresses the complexity of the city. said David Chipperfield, president of the self-named firm, said.

A Growing Portfolio

SIGNA’s portfolio in Hamburg already include projects such as Alsterhaus, Alsterkaden and Kaufmannshaus. As part of the final jury decision last month, SIGNA was said to have “stood out from its other two competitors” by the jury. Additionally, SIGNA impressed with the resilience of its financing through high equity capital backing, with financial solidity and rich experience with similar complex projects.

The project will be situated next to the Elbe Bridges and will represent both a culmination of the HafenCity development and the prelude to the entrance into Hamburg’s city center. Thanks to the new Elbbrücken subway and urban railway station, the building is expected to become part of the new urban hub that will be reachable from the future urban development areas of Billebogen and Grasbrook.

A new report from JLL and The Business of Cities, a London-based intelligence and strategy firm, entitled, “World Cities: Mapping the Pathways to Success,” named Hamburg as one of the emerging world cities that is attracting global investments.